While more Russian forces were pouring into Crimea this past weekend, and Russian legislators announced their readiness to annex the Ukrainian province, where was our commander in chief? Monitoring events in the Situation Room? Meeting with the Joint Chiefs at the Pentagon? Holding an emergency meeting of NATO leaders? Nope. He was enjoying the Florida sunshine with his family at an oceanfront resort in Key Largo.

And Vice President Biden? He was on vacation in the Virgin Islands.

It’s winter for democracy in Ukraine, but for Obama and Biden it’s spring break.

Both the president and the vice president go on vacation. At the same time. During an international crisis. You can’t make this up.

The White House says Obama squeezed in another round of golf Sunday on one of the courses at the exclusive Ocean Reef Club on Key Largo, where the family was staying.

The foursome included sportscaster and former NFL wide receiver Ahmad Rashad, former NBA player Alonzo Mourning and Cyrus Walker, a cousin of senior White House adviser Valerie Jarrett. Obama teed off with the same group on Saturday.

I generally don't have a big problem with the President and others traveling, but I think the Obama's have jumped the shark on their traveling.

From a President that knows how important image is, or at least his campaign management does, he seems to care so little about it. His actions projects a total lack of seriousness. Something Bush was criticized relentless by the left. Clearly those criticizing Bush lacked any seriousness in their criticism.

It's not the money spent that bothers me as much as it is the apparent lack of respect for the taxpayers and the seriousness of being President. The nation is in tough economic times, but does the President act like it? The nation faces very serious international threats whether it is Islamo-fascist terrorists, Islamo-fascists in Iran building nukes, Russian territorial expansion, all the chaos in the Middle East, or ... Does the President act like it? So why would Russia, Iran, or any other country or group take him or the U.S. seriously?

Stupid people can cause problems, but it usually takes brilliant people to create a real catastrophe. Thomas Sowell

I know that the first lady has always been relevant to the Presidency....but I hate how more and more it's like I'm electing a COUPLE....the first lady has to have an entire agenda like Ms. America.....and a staff....it's a joke

"I've been left for dead before but I'll still fight on, don't wait up, leave the light on, I'll be home soon"Chris Smither

First Lady Michelle Obama will be accompanied by her children and her mother on her trip to China, which begins today. But she won't be accompanied by the press.

"Michelle Obama’s trip to China starting on Wednesday will be nonpolitical, the White House says, a 'people-to-people exchange' emphasizing the importance that both nations place on education. As if to underscore the point, no reporters are traveling with the first lady, and she does not plan to give interviews while there," reports the New York Times.

The White House is defending the first lady bringing her family along for the ride by saying it's what the Chinese would want. "Tina Tchen, Mrs. Obama’s chief of staff and a first-generation Chinese-American, said a multigenerational visit would be appreciated by the Chinese, who value tradition," says the Times.

Spend, spend, spend, with no accountability.

It's not a boondoggle for the family, it's just good diplomacy.

And we all know how much the Chinese think of the press, so I guess that is why this family trip, I mean official government trip, has no press coverage.

Yep, the kids can go but the press cannot. Seriously, this guy is a joke. I do agree, it is hard to not look like a clown when criticizing all the truly clownish things this guy does.

BTW, I would hope she isn't going to China for a political trip. I know the Clintons were critized for all the Chinese money they took to help them political. I know they meant it in the terms of not being government business, and not partisan political activity, but doesn't that beg the question of why the taxpayers are footing the bill if it does not serve a governmental purpose.

They simply do what the hell ever they want and then give BS excuses to justify it without being seriously questioned about the logic of what they are doing.

If it is nonpolitical, then the taxpayers should not pay. If it is a government relations exercise, then wouldn't you want all the good press? Sounds like a boondoggle if ever there was one and they definitely do not want the press coverage of that.

In the latest media charge that the White House has reneged on promises to be “transparent,” two of AP's White House staff told a convention in Denver this week that the president's team often bars coverage of Obama events because they are “hypersensitive” about his Image.

That's the real reason that there is no press on this taxpayer funded family vacation.

Stupid people can cause problems, but it usually takes brilliant people to create a real catastrophe. Thomas Sowell

SpinnerMan wrote:It's not a boondoggle for the family, it's just good diplomacy.

People like the Obamas are used to others always picking up the tab for everything they do, so why not let the taxpayers pay for yet another vacation, but this time to China. This trip serves no purpose other than the Mooch taking advantage of the taxpayers who have no vote in this matter. Just spend, spend, and spend some more. That is what these hacks who have never earned an honest dime do.

Maybe they can take a trip to location that is truly foreign to them - to Chicago and to their "home." You know that place they have not seen since 2007.

WTN10 wrote:Getting mad at stuff like this is why no one takes Republicans seriously.

It's a serious shame that more don't get mad, Repubs, Dems, Libertarian's, Independents and non-voters alike should get mad about useless spending such as this.

It is a sign of how corrupt our society has become. Look how few people took President Clinton lying under oath seriously. Look how few people take President Obama lying to get Obamacare seriously. If you like this type of corrupt government, you will keep it if you don't take it seriously. It's the proverbial frog in the pot of water never noticing it was getting cooked.

The bar has been lowered to the point where the President sending his family to China on the taxpayer dime with such a stupid pretext and no press that it is not something serious.

It is because it shows the character of the President and how he looks upon the people and their money with which he is entrusted to manage. What do you think he does with the power he is entrusted with if this is how he treats the people and their money? I'm going to spend it on my family and you have no right to know what they do with it

This one is easy to understand. It shows how he will behave when it is more complicated and we have no choice but to trust him. And with this kind of behavior, how can you trust him? This is why it is so important to avoid the appearance of impropriety as a public official. That is why these small things are so important. What do you think they will do when nobody is looking if they behave like this when in the spotlight?

Of course, we are so accepting of bad behavior that we are just supposed to accept what should be unacceptable. How does that ever lead to a good place? It leads to a corrupt society and that never functions well and certainly never serves the people, but only the powerful.

Stupid people can cause problems, but it usually takes brilliant people to create a real catastrophe. Thomas Sowell

Extra money everywhere. Hell. They are even thinking of giving some back.

— Tax revenues from Colorado’s new recreational marijuana industry are pouring into state coffers — and that’s actually a bit of a problem for lawmakers.

Taxpayers, however, may stand to benefit if lawmakers decide to refund the tax revenue that comes in above last year’s $67 million first-year estimate.

According to a legal analysis conducted by the state and obtained by FOX31 Denver, the marijuana revenues are subject to the state’s Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR), which will require lawmakers to take action if tax revenues from the new legal marijuana industry exceed the estimated $67 million in annual revenue that was anticipated in the 2013 Blue Book analysis of Proposition AA, the new sales and excise tax rates voters approved in November.

The legal memorandum from the Office of Legislative Legal Services was sent to members of the Joint Budget Committee Monday night.

The report, obtained by FOX31 Denver, is the result of more than a week of legal analysis aimed at providing some certainty to the unanswered question of what happens if revenues come in above that $67 million estimate.

The most current Dept. of Revenue estimate forecasts that the state will take in $107 million, exceeding the Blue Book estimate by some $40 million.

The conclusion: the state must lower the tax rate and either refund the excess amount of revenues above the $67 million estimate or refer a measure to the November 2014 or 2015 ballot seeking permission from voters to let the state keep and spend all of the tax revenue from recreational marijuana.

“It’s very difficult to figure out what the actual amount of marijuana tax revenue is going to be,” said JBC Chairwoman Crisanta Duran, D-Denver, who notes that the state will update its revenue forecast, including marijuana tax revenue projections, on March 18.

“Ultimately, one way or another, the people of this state are going to have a great say about how this extra money is spent. We have to follow TABOR and either take the decision back to the people of Colorado and ask them to keep these dollars or we have to make a refund.”

Rep. Cheri Gerou, R-Evergreen, also sits on the JBC but, unlike Duran, doesn’t see a referred measure to the November ballot as a real option.

“I think probably what’s going to happen is that, internally, the state will try and take care of it,” Gerou said. “I think it’s going to be a bit of a black eye if we have to go back to the voters with another amendment.

“We’ll figure out where our revenues come in, figure out how much we need to reimburse on the sales tax and then we won’t have to worry about this after this year.”

Lawmakers have the option of simply lowering the sales and excise tax rates on recreational marijuana to bring the final revenue total in line with the $67 million Blue Book projection.

But that would likely impact the $40 million in annual excise tax revenue allocated to school construction through the Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) program.

“We could lower the sales tax and not charge any sales tax, which would mean we wouldn’t bring any money in but we also wouldn’t be taking care of K-12 education with BEST,” Gerou said. “So that’s probably off the table.”

It’s still unclear whether all taxpayers or just those who bought recreational marijuana would be eligible for refunds, should the legislature simply decide to go that route.

In a separate memo prepared in advance of the JBC’s Wednesday meeting, where lawmakers first discussed TABOR’s impact on marijuana revenues, JBC staff acknowledges that the Office of Legislative Legal Services analysis is fluid, being something that’s never happened before.

“This process is a new process as, to their knowledge, it has never occurred in the past,” the JBC memo states. “Therefore, much of what is being discussed is still subject to change if interpretations change over time.”

The state is also committed to the Blue Book estimate of $12.15 billion in total state fiscal year spending with the addition of the $67 million in additional marijuana taxes.

A refund would also be required should total state spending rise above that $12.15 billion mark; and, as of the December Legislative Council forecast, spending was projected to reach $12.167 billion — $87 million over the Blue Book estimate.

Under TABOR, the most the state will be forced to refund is “100 percent of the amount of the tax” — $67 million.

But if tax revenues or state spending trigger a refund, it’s likely the money could come out of the state’s general fund because so much of the marijuana revenues is already allocated for school construction and to reimburse counties for marijuana regulation expenses.

“It could actually cost the state money because we have legalized marijuana, but just for the first year,” Gerou said. “In the the 2015-16 budget cycle, that’s when we’re in trouble.”

“Voters got exactly what they voted for and it’s still a problem,” Steadman said. “It’s absurd.”

Gov. John Hickenlooper has proposed a separate $116 million spending plan for marijuana revenues that are left over after paying for school construction and offsetting county expenses for regulating the new industry will be directed to drug awareness campaigns, among other things.

Hickenlooper’s office acknowledged the legal analysis and noted that the question of whether marijuana revenues are subject to TABOR, and how so, is far from settled.

“This is an ongoing legal question, and we remain committed to respecting the will of the voters,” said Hickenlooper’s spokesman, Eric Brown.

State officials continue to examine legal questions around the issue.

One case they’re reportedly looking at is the Colorado Supreme Court’s 1994 decision in Bickel v. City of Boulder, which could be interpreted in a way that affirms the state’s right to keep the additional revenue if it can be shown it made a “good faith estimate” of assessing what the marijuana revenue

2013/2014 season Days's in the field- 44

Number of birds- who cares.Vegetarian is an old Indian word for " I don't hunt so good"

Why is this even a question or issue in any state. This is a prime example of greed in government. They projected income from the taxes and TABOR says give it back. They then find out they are making more money and are trying to find a way to keep it.